Oracle faces lawsuit over 'data violations'

Oracle is being accused of violating the privacy of ‘hundreds of millions’ of people

Oracle is facing a privacy class action lawsuit in the US over data collection practices.

An Irish-American group of privacy activists filed a claim in California accusing Oracle of improperly collecting and selling the private data of "hundreds of millions" of people.

The plaintiffs allege in a 66-page class action complaint that Oracle took part in the deliberate and purposeful surveillance of the general population via their digital and online existence.

They said that in its role as a worldwide data broker, Oracle has created a network that tracks in real-time and records indefinitely the personal information of hundreds of millions of people.

The privacy activists added Oracle sells this detailed personal information to third parties, either directly, or through its ID Graph and other related products and services derived from this data.

"The proposed Classes herein lack a direct relationship with Oracle and have no reasonable or practical basis upon which they could legally consent to Oracle's surveillance," the complaint said.

The plaintiffs said they are bringing this action to enforce their fundamental right to privacy, seek redress and compensation for the financial, dignitary, reputational, and relational harms Oracle has caused, and obtain a ruling that Oracle's conduct is unlawful and therefore must stop.

The plaintiffs include Michael Katz-Lacabe, a privacy rights activist and founder of the Center for Human Rights and Privacy; Dr Jennifer Golbeck an associate professor at the University of Maryland in College Park and Director of the Social Intelligence Lab; and Johnny Ryan, a senior fellow at the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, and a Senior Fellow at the Open Markets Institute.

When approached, Oracle declined to comment on the case.